A debate between Washington County Commission candidates Robert Ford and Gil Almquist stayed mostly friendly Wednesday — Almquist, the Republican, at one point called Ford his favorite Democrat — but the two spelled out wide differences on a range of issues.

Speaking before an audience of about 50 at the St. George Chamber of Commerce luncheon, the men shared opinions on the Lake Powell Pipeline, the proposed "northern corridor" highway across the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve and whether the three-person commission is too small to adequately represent the fast-growing county.

Candidates talk about backgrounds

They also spoke from different perspectives.

Ford is a retiree who has worked for the federal government and worked in places including Africa and Asia. He said his technical skills as an expert in water and agriculture would benefit a county that faces major challenges with natural resources.

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Washington County Commission candidate Robert Ford addresses the crowd at a debate in St. George on Oct. 17, 2018. He supports expanding the panel to five members from three.(Photo: Chris Caldwell / The Spectrum & Daily News)

"I think I can bring here what is needed in the county, working not just at the local level but at the state and the global level," he said.

As a resident of Rockville, he said he wants to represent the smaller communities administered by the county. He called for an expansion of the commission to five members separated by district to better cover geographic areas.

Almquist is a longtime Southern Utah business owner and former two-term member of the St. George City Council. He said his experience owning a landscaping company has taught him on-the-ground lessons about the importance of the private market and limiting local government, and about the area's potential to grow into a thriving economic force.

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Gil Almquist said if elected to the Washington County Commission, his priority would be ensuring the county was competitive in attracting law-enforcement officers and emergency responders. Almquist took part in a debate at DSU on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018.(Photo: Chris Caldwell / The Spectrum & Daily News)

"As a landscaper for 36 years, from the ground up — literally from the dirt up — I have watched this city grow," he said.

Almquist and Ford debated for about an hour for the event, taking questions from moderator Paul Dail, editor of St. George News.

Almquist's and Ford's names are the only ones on the ballot for the commission race, which will be decided in the Nov. 6 midterm election.

The winner will replace outgoing Commissioner Zachary Renstrom, a Republican who said he would not run for re-election because of a pending position with the Washington County Water Conservancy District.

Top priorities

Asked what his top priorities would be in office, Almquist said he wanted to ensure Washington County was competitive in attracting law-enforcement officers and emergency responders.

The Sheriff's Office, which makes up the largest portion of the county's operational budget, has seen challenges keeping qualified deputies and attracting new ones, but Almquist said he would emphasize keeping pay at an adequate level.

Ford said smart growth in a drying climate requires innovative approaches to better efficiency. He referenced his experience working on drought and water-conservation efforts overseas, saying he learned strategies that could be applied to Washington County.

He also said he would emphasize raising the county's profile as a destination for high-tech industry and technology companies.

Views on Lake Powell Pipeline

In Washington County, the Lake Powell Pipeline proposal has become a fulcrum for debates over water demands in Utah and along the Colorado River.

Ford said although there are no simple answers to meeting the county's future water needs, there are various ways to improve conservation and convert existing water systems to more efficient models.

He said he would need to see more data before he would support the pipeline, and he emphasized cooperation at the federal level and with neighboring states.

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The Lake Powell Pipeline would draw water from the lake to thirsty the St. George metro area.(Photo: Spectrum & Daily News file photo)

The pipeline, currently going through a federal review process, is planned to pump water out of Lake Powell and carry it some 140 miles to Sand Hollow Reservoir in Hurricane. The most recent estimates suggest it could cost between $1.1 billion and $1.8 billion to build.

Almquist said he sees new water development such as the Lake Powell Pipeline as essential to the area's future, noting Washington County's prolific growth in recent years.

The St. George metro area was the fastest-growing in the nation in the U.S. Census Bureau's 2017 estimates, and state demographers project the population to balloon from 165,000 today to more than 500,000 over the next 50 years.

Ford said he felt the road would help only marginally with traffic while creating problems by crossing the reserve and the NCA, both of which are protected habitat for the Mojave desert tortoise.

"I think the idea of a true beltway that is out a little bit farther would solve the transportation a little bit easier," he said. "I'm not ready to say no on the northern corridor, but I think there are some better solutions."